Tobacco Media Group (TMG), the parent company of the Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) conference and trade show, has announced the hiring of Dawn Conger to work directly with the event’s operations and management.

Conger is no stranger to tobacco-related trade shows, having worked with the International Premium Cigars & Pipe Retailers Association IPCPR) for approximately 6 1/2 years before departing shortly after this year’s trade show. She joined the IPCPR in March 2012 as senior director of associate member relations, then was promoted to senior director of trade shows and meetings in January 2016. In March 2018, she was again promoted to vice president of operations.

At the time of her departure from IPCPR, Conger told halfwheel that she would be remaining in the Washington, D.C. area to open her own consultancy business, focusing on event management, trade show logistics and design, team building, crisis management and financial planning for clients in that area.

“I’m so pleased to join the TMG team,” said Conger via a press release. “I’ve long-admired their impact on the premium tobacco industry and am excited to bring my knowledge to the much-acclaimed TPE show. I have big ideas to directly benefit both exhibitors and buyers amidst the changing industry needs, and I aim to offer top value to all who attend. I’m very much looking forward to seeing everyone at the show!”

The Tobacco Plus Expo is an annual event held in Las Vegas, Nev. that features the full-spectrum of tobacco, vapor, alternatives and general merchandise products available. Next year’s event, the 15th in its history, is scheduled for Feb. 11-13, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In addition to operating the TPE show, TMG operates Tobacco Business Magazine. TMG is owned and operated by Kretek International, which also owns Phillips & King, Ventura Cigar Co. and others.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.